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mrsjonesJunior Member Sex: Unspecified Posts: 1 Joined: Location: Godalming Status: Offline | Re: Holmbury Hill Walk (Posted On: Wed 01st Sep 2010 at 21:14) | | Felix Laffan was a schoolfriend of mine at Glebelands School in Cranleigh. His father, Mike Laffan, taught history there, if I remember rightly, at the time. Felix was a keen rock-climber and joined Guildford Mountaineering Club in his late teens. My mother's ex-partner was a member at the time and used to climb with Felix on occasion. After attending Godalming College, Felix had gone on to study naval architecture at one of the universities on the south coast (Southampton, Plymouth, somewhere like that).
I remember that he'd gone climbing somewhere and had never returned but it wasn't until I found your post today that I found it had been a climb up the Matterhorn that had cost him his life. | |
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paulswalksJunior Member Sex: Male Posts: 33 Joined: Location: Ashford Status: Offline | Re: Holmbury Hill Walk (Posted On: Thu 02nd Sep 2010 at 14:30) | | Just been reading that the Church at Holmbury St. Mary was designed and built by G.E. Street in 1873, he also designed the London Law Courts and is buried in Westminster Abbey. | |
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rohemsleyJunior Member Sex: Unspecified Posts: 1 Joined: Status: Offline | Re: Holmbury Hill Walk (Posted On: Sat 04th Jul 2015 at 16:19) | | Hi there
I saw your post when I did a search for information about Felix! He was my best friend at Glebelands and I have many great memories of him. Like most kids we fell out over something or other but I tried to keep in touch after we left school. His father was Rolf Laffan, not the history teacher, who had a similar name. I know Felix had a passion for mountain climbing and boat design! Sadly, whilst climbing the Matterhorn, he ran into some extreme weather. Some in his party were seen falling to their deaths, but Felix and his friend were spotted trying to climb out of trouble. That was the last time that they were seen, and to my knowledge he and his friend have never been found! It was all very tragic, and even made national TV. I'm now a commercial pilot and every time I'm flying over the Alps my thoughts are with him! Cheers Richard | |
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ebennyJunior Member Sex: Unspecified Posts: 1 Joined: Status: Offline | Re: Holmbury Hill Walk (Posted On: Thu 18th Feb 2016 at 15:21) | | Hello I was sharing a house in Balham with Dave and Felix. Also present were Tom David, Nina, Sharon (Dave's gf and Mrs Jones mother) and a couple of other Davids the house being owned by Toms brother in law. Dave wanted to get into boat design. I can't remember Felix's dream but then it was nearly 30 years ago....
They set off for their climb with Dave wearing my Clark's cream boots. I have often thought of them (the boots included as well) just as I am right now. Ah to be so young and so wrongly infallible.
I'd love to get in touch. I now live in Cheltenham.
Ps I am really one Bel Vaz, a reformed yuppie today. | |
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